San Francisco in Cinema: Signal 7

855 Geary Street
Director Rob Nillson's 1986 art house hit Signal 7 is an object of interest in the annals of cinema verite. Shot on video entirely on location in San Francisco and transferred to film, Signal 7 is an imrov drama that captures a few defining moments in the lives of two sort of pathetic cabbies. The video transfer technique works here and actually contributes to the depressive tone of the whole picture. The title is cabbie jargon meaning a driver is not responding and may be in trouble. A lot of the action - if you could call it that - takes place here, at 855 Geary Street, then home to the Desoto cab company. This is where middle-aged hacks Speed and Marty (Bill Ackridge and Dan Leegant) play cards and bullshit with their fellow drivers. With speeches that are often rambling, Signal 7 will appeal to actors and cabbies a little bit more than everyone else. Another prominent location is the Clay Theatre on Fillmore Street.

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Copyright 2002 Hank Donat
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